Tiny Bell
by RainSonata
Summary: "You don't give swords to 4 year olds!" Add exclaimed with exasperation. Parenting is never easy, but Add finds himself in a predicament in his child waving a sword. OC made by me and @ask-addele on tumblr, but Add x Elesis (DomFL) focused.


**Fandom/Pairing:** Elsword; Add x Elesis (DomFL)  
 **Rating:** K+  
 **Word Count:** 3,112

 **Summary:** "You don't give swords to 4 year olds!" Add exclaimed with exasperation. Parenting is never easy, but Add finds himself in a predicament in his child waving a sword. OC made by me and ask-addele, but DomFL focused.

 **Author Notes:** Hello, are you ready for shameless domestic fluff? Because I am! Feel free to send us asks about our OC if you're interested! Characters may be OOC because Add and Elesis are in their late 20s and honestly Add's been softening quite a bit in recent story quests in the games. I'm so proud of the nerd for coming so far since he was a brat in Ruben.

* * *

Add's eyes fluttered open to intense sunlight bearing down his tender neck, jerking his head forward and sitting up to stretch his lore limbs. Struggling to keep his eyes open for research last night, he was close to passing out at his desk before coaxed into bed by Elesis, who was nowhere to be seen. Pulling his legs to the side of the bed to get up, Dominator sighed when he saw the redhead's pajamas on the floor. When will she ever learn to put her clothes in the laundry basket? He reached over to grab the earpiece from the bedside to slide over his ear, triggering Dynamo to light up and come to life from the recharging station.

It was a humble house (Elesis's wish) suited for the young couple, on the opposite end to the mansion Add grew up in, but its small size and the forest location gave it a cozy feel that made up for it. From his window, he could see Ruben Forest facing their backyard with a wooden fence separating the two. Close to one of the busiest towns for easier access to the market, it avoided the problems Velder faced in the aftermath of the demon war they helped fight as young adults, but close enough to Elesis's hometown for weekend visits.

It was early spring, still early for the iris to be in bloom, the midday sun having already dried the morning dew on the grass and leaving a gleam on the flowerbed planted by the scientist weeks ago. Add dropped the pajamas when he heard laughter.

Ignoring that he wasn't halfway dressed, still in his pajamas and haven't brushed his teeth, it was a wonder he didn't fall over as he scrambled to get downstairs with Dynamo following him and blinking rapid lights in line to his panicking thoughts. What happened to that conversation he and Elesis had last week? They worked to end the war so this kind of life was possible without having to worry about demon invasions and whatever asshole deciding to intervene with humanity for one reason or another. He didn't think Elesis meant it when she voiced her eagerness on…

He made it to the first floor and ran to their backyard to see a small figure facing Elesis. Dressed in a cotton shirt and a pair of shorts was a child with their head turned away from view. In their hand was a wooden sword too big for them, struggling to hold it upward as they had their body postured forward and facing their opponent with as most dignity as a four-year-old could.

"What are you doing?" Add flinched at his own voice, louder than intended.

"Look who's awake," Elesis bared a wide grin, waving her sword around. "Are you ready to join us?"

A woman stood with her legs apart, her hair the color of flames with a wooden sword identical to the child's and her claymore out of sight. Today, she sported a white t-shirt and black shorts with her eyes closed. Flames were absent, but the air grew warm and static when Add realized.

She was excited, struggling to keep those strong emotions at bay. Add trusted her not to let her magic loose in their home, but everything stopped when he connected the dots. What was the Flame Lord thinking?

"Daddy!"

The girl dropped her sword with a heavy thud. How could Elesis have confidence for a child to carry one without dropping it on someone's foot by accident? Add looked at the sword in alarm, a million of worries coming afloat with the scientist wondering how long had this gone without his notice?

Excited to see Add, she ran over to hug his leg and greeted him with a bright smile identical to Elesis's. Pale white hair tied into a small ponytail and left a few strands to curl around her round face. She giggled when Add ruffled the top of her head and picked her up.

"Lily," Add could feel Elesis's eyes on him. "What are you doing?"

"Mommy's teaching me to be strong like her!" Lily said, "She said we could use real swords if I know how to hold one!"

"Did she?" Add raised a brow, redirecting it to Elesis with eyes that said, _Please explain all of this and tell me why my sleep was ruined by this._

"Uh huh," Lily bobbed her head. "She said I have to fix how I stand and holding it, but I'll get better if I practice."

It never occurred to Add he would reach to the point in life of having a child, nevertheless have someone to be with when things were rough. Memories of Asker forcing him to do the same equations and creating inventions under a timer left a bad aftertaste whenever his childhood was brought up. He would not force any child of his to become him or relive his mistakes. Was his wife trying to make Lily into a knight like her father did?

Lily recently learned to read and Elesis was expecting her to pick up a sword as she did. She wasn't a prodigy like them, who lived under different circumstances but with parents who enforced pressure on them to succeed in different wars. Add refused to become like Asker. He should not. _He must not._

It's been years since the last war. There was no reason for any of them to be polishing swords or mentioning battles unless it was for a bedtime story to lure Lily to sleep when the toddler refused to close her eyes. They fought those battles so children like her wouldn't have to pick up a sword and fight for survival rather than living a peaceful life as a civilian.

His wife wasn't as unreasonable, but it was moments like this that left him feeling betrayed. What could have made Elesis believe this was necessary? He knew the way of the sword was something she valued, but he couldn't understand why it had to be their child. It could have been anyone else. Add held onto his child tighter.

The red-haired woman frowned and saw his judgmental eyes, ones reserved for disappointment. Her lips were sealed into a straight line, a line of worry on her brows with her eyes saying, _This is important to me._

Add mouthed back, _That's why we need to talk._

Elesis put on a smile and turned to talk to their daughter, "I think I heard Apo in the laundry room. Can you check on it in case it got stuck in the baskets?"

It was insulting to hear that all it took was a laundry basket to obstruct Apocalypse, but pink-reddish eyes lit up at the mention of the destructive cube. What was meant to use for battle had become a pet of some sort for the child with Apocalypse reciprocating by following Lily around and asking for pets. Lifting her arms up and tapping the scientist's shoulder, Add lowered Lily to let her run back into the house in search for the cat cube.

Once Lily was gone, Elesis rubbed her forehead. "All right, let's talk. You won't like my answer."

Add rubbed his eyes, "There's something I need to tell you too."

* * *

They sat across from each other at the picnic table under an ancient tree, not as old as the tree of El, but its thick roots curled up and made it nigh impossible to cut through if they tried to build anything around it. Tall and proud, it made its presence known when one first stepped into their backyard. It was bothersome to maintain it in the autumn when the ground was covered in layers of dead leaves, but they were bright and vibrant. In the spring, the tree was green and healthy to offer them shade from the warming sun.

Any anger Add had for Elesis from before was lost when they made eye contact. It was one of the many things that made her stand out. There was shame in her eyes, but she had no fear in confrontation and didn't back away. He couldn't say he understood her all the time, but he couldn't look away. It was Elesis who broke the silence first.

"I want to teach Lily how to fight," Elesis said.

No surprise, Add sighed and saw that coming a mile away the moment he saw the sparks in his wife's eyes. Lily had that look too when she read books or when she discovered a bug and ran back inside to show to him or Elesis.

Elesis tied the top of her hair into a small sloppy ponytail, letting the rest of her hair fall over her shoulders, a few inches from touching the ground. Arms and legs crossed, her skin was tan and flushed, but it wasn't from the weather. Embarrassed? She wasn't done talking.

"I know, the war is over." She rested her chin on her knuckles, "We're rebuilding, but all of that can disappear. What if there's another war?"

Another war… Had Add been the same innocent child from 300 years ago, he would have disagreed, but it was an old fear that surfaced and left him uncomfortable. If there was war in the past and another when he traveled to the present, what was stopping humanity from launching another one? The El Search Party had stabilized the El with the help of many people they met along the way, but all it took was one person or being to shift things against their favor and force them to rebuild as humans always did. Starting war was easy, ending them took effort.

"Elesis…" Add looked at her with tired eyes. How long has she let herself be haunted by that thought without telling him? "If anything happens, we can fight-"

"And who takes care of her?" Elesis asked, "She needs to learn to defend herself. We can't be there for her if something happens to us."

"You don't give swords to four year olds!" Add exclaimed in exasperation.

"They're not real!" The redhead protested, "They're the same training swords Dad gave us when we were her age!"

"Your old man made you fight a war before you finished school," Add said out of spite.

"Yours didn't let you go to school," she snapped.

She wasn't wrong. It wasn't school when it was only him and the tutor his family hired under conditions that rarely let them leave their mansion in Velder. It wasn't a sad life because Add was an eager child willing to learn and enjoyed talking to one of the few people outside his family. However, they too disappeared when Asker took the reins in his education when unsatisfied with the results.

At first, Add was excited for his father to teach him in person, but his admiration soon turned to dread in learning how hard it was to please the late Grenore. Asker was distant with short cold answers that would discourage any attempt of a meaningful conversation and Mother always showed worry for her husband disappearing for hours at a time, the man sometimes never coming to dinner. Add felt nothing when his father was silenced by the flames engulfing their mansion before forced into a new life with scars that never healed..

Add clenched his teeth.

"I…" Elesis turned into the same shade of red as her hair. She blinked at the realization of what she had just said with horror and stumbled. "I'm, I didn't mean… Add, I'm sorry, I-"

"You're right," Add shook his head to show there was no offense. What could he do? There was no need to ponder over the past. "He was a terrible father. What kind of sick bastard turns their child into a weapon? I'm sorry for talking about your father like that when mine is… I want Lily to be different. I won't force her to be me."

There were no more secrets. They knew each past and from the time they spent together in the El Search Party.

"She really looks up to you, you know." Elesis had a sad smile. "You cook, clean, and taught her how to read. I'm no good at that.

Add frowned. It was unusual to hear Elesis express herself in that light, but he nodded in understanding. _I'm here_ , he tried to say through his actions when he brought his arms around Elesis and into a tight embrace. It was embarrassing how he could discuss hundreds of ways to program nasods in his lectures at the Elder universities, but struggled to voice his emotions.

Elesis was better at prep talks because of her job with the army and having conversations about feelings than he was, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try. He wanted to let her know he was here to listen and be there for her.

Red hair tickled his nose when he let Elesis rest her head on his shoulder, a contrast to his pale white hair. Add was almost disappointed when he learned Lily didn't inherit her mother's fiery hair. Elesis had a light floral smell reminiscent to the flowers they planted in their garden when they first moved in together.

"That's how it must look like, doesn't it?" Elesis laughed bitterly, "I'm trying to raise her like I did with Elsword and look what happened when I turned away. He grew up without me knowing until it was too late."

"It's hard, but it doesn't have to be like Elsword. It'll be different this time." Add tried to cheer her up. "That's why there's two of us, isn't it? I teach her how to calculate formulas and you can teach her how to beat things up. Lily can decide if she still wants to do any of that when she's older."

"That's fair," Elesis snorted at his wording. "I like that."

"Did you do something with the swords?" Add asked. There was something off when Lily dropped them. It hit the floor, but it made a strange sound like it was restrained by a force.

Elesis smiled, "I knew you would fuss, so I asked Aisha to enchant them for me. Not even a Phoru can hurt itself if it tried."

Of course the mage did. There was no doubt the Oz Sorcerer could make a sword lost its ability to hit anything. Add was impressed Elesis came up with the idea and asked the mage to do a simple yet effective spell. He would have to thank Aisha later the next time they met. She was already doing so much by lending books for Lily's education. It was nice to see the brat mature and go past arguing with Elbrat all the time.

Covering his left eye, Add groaned. "I don't fuss!"

"You are right now," she teased.

Ugh!

Elesis giggled at her blushing husband and leaned over to kiss the side of his head with a sly grin. Add groaned and buried his face into her shoulder, feeling his face glowing and turning as hot as Elesis's Soul Ignition. He must have done a splendid job of making her feel better for her to be this cheery!

"Mommy, Daddy!" Lily came running out to get their attention and waving her arms. Apocalypse was right behind her and meowing with a smile. "Apo was stuck in the laundry machine!"

Add turned to look at his daughter and the cat cube with confusion, still in a daze. "Again?"

The scientist ran his hand through his hair and closed eyes. When would Apocalypse stop trying to fit itself into tight confinements? What could have made it find the need to do that? Add shook his head at the cat cube's strange antics. Lily and Elesis may find it funny, but it was such a bother to free it every time.

Freeing herself from Add's embrace, Elesis laughed. "Apochan is silly, isn't it?"

"It sure is!" Lily mirrored the redhead and beamed.

Despite hair differences, it was clear she was her mother's child.

Looking at the girl's dirtied clothes, Add sighed. Things were never clean for long before something knocked over or when Lily made a mess. Having a child tested his need for cleanliness a lot, but so did dating Elesis. But still, they were important to him and he never wanted that to change. He was getting used to the idea of having a family.

Add ruffled Lily's fluffy hair and smiled, "Why don't you change into clean clothes and we'll have breakfast?"

"Yeah!" She cheered.

* * *

 _Omake_

Elesis was 100% sure Add was piling up on French toast to show off his cooking skills. Or maybe it was his sweet tooth and wanting to indulge in them after working on his research paper the night before without coffee. She teased him about getting cavities for caving into sweets, but what was she kidding? The Flame Lord loved them too. Coated in cinnamon and sugar, they went well with coffee and topped with the berries they picked from the family garden yesterday.

The eggs were off the fryer by the time Lily ran to the kitchen in a new dress Elesis sewn last month. It was insane how quick she was growing when it seemed like yesterday when she learned how to walk. Her face was free of dirt and grabbed Elesis's arm to get her attention.

"I'm done!" Lily announced.

"Wow, you're fast!" Elesis spun her around to see the dress from all sides. "What do you think, Add?"

Being a Velder Knight prepared her for motherhood… somewhat. It was mandatory for knights to learn how to sew to fix tears, but she didn't think she would use the skill as much until they had Lily. Their daughter got tore her clothes almost as often as Elsword when he was a child.

It was easier to make clothes for a child who was always growing rather than buy her new clothes every time she grew an inch or so. COBO was selling flower prints and it was perfect for the spring! It was a little uneven on one side, but what would anyone notice when asymmetry was becoming popular with young people?

"It's pretty," Lily said.

"Hm?" Add slide in with the food and placed them on the table. He looked at the flower prints on the dress and shrugged, "They're uneven."

"Hey!" Elesis pouted. She was hoping he wouldn't notice.

He snickered, "I think Mommy did a better job this time."

Lily laughed with her father, "I like them!"

Elesis found herself laughing as well and joined in with her new family.


End file.
